Parliamentary questions

Closed Circuit Television Systems

Nicky McFadden

253. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if further funding will be made available to Granard Town Council for CCTV projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43106/13]

Ambulance Service Response Times

Nicky McFadden

399. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Health the way ambulance response times are currently assessed by the Health Service Executive; if an assessment of ambulance response times will be carried out nationally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43072/13]

School Meals Programme

Nicky McFadden

124. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of schools nationally operating the school meals programme; the number of those schools that are in counties Longford and Westmeath; the way the school meals programme is administered; if it will be extended in order to ensure children receive the necessary nutrition; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42610/13]

Family Income Supplement Expenditure

Nicky McFadden

128. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Social Protection if the family income supplement scheme will continue to be administered in order to provide financial support to those on low wages; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42644/13]

Early Child Care Education Issues

Nicky McFadden

178. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the progress being made in relation to the development of a national early years strategy, regarding the provision of affordable childcare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42643/13]

Literacy and Numeracy Strategy

Nicky McFadden

199. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Education and Skills the progress being made since the 2011 roll out of the new national literacy and numeracy strategy; if data is collected on the number of children leaving school with the necessary literacy and numeracy skills; the way success of the strategy is monitored; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41862/13]

Third Level Participation

Nicky McFadden

215. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will ensure that any decisions made in relation to third level education in budget 2014 will protect equality of opportunity; that financially vulnerable students will be adequately supported; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41980/13]

Freedom of Information Legislation

Nicky McFadden

272. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if details held by the Garda on those persons guilty of sex offences and who are subject to the requirements of the Sex Offenders Act 2001 will be made subject to freedom of information legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42031/13]

Companies Law Issues

Nicky McFadden

284. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if the current requirement for companies, which otherwise could avail of the audits exemption to complete two years statutory audits where annual return filings have been submitted late to the Companies Registration Office, will be removed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41850/13]

Social Welfare Code Issues

Nicky McFadden

301. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which volunteering is promoted within social welfare offices here; if all social welfare officers are encouraged to promote volunteering as an option available to jobseekers and to make jobseekers aware of volunteering services available in their locality; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41864/13]

Social Welfare Code Issues

Nicky McFadden

302. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Social Protection if current internal guidelines in social welfare offices for the voluntary work option will be updated to ensure that no anomalies occur between deciding social welfare officers; if public guidelines will be updated to ensure that job seekers can clearly find eligibility criteria for the voluntary work programme and examples of suitable roles and acceptable levels of voluntary work; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41868/13]

Social Welfare Code Review

Nicky McFadden

332. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Social Protection the number and location of social welfare offices currently delivering the full Intreo service; the locations of the expected 43 offices to be delivering the service by the end of 2013; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42356/13]

National Strategy on Volunteering

Nicky McFadden

383. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if a national policy or strategy on volunteering will be developed in order to address barriers to volunteering and to set objectives and goals to ensure that volunteering is measured and valued; to provide for consistent and sustainable nationwide supports for volunteering; if he will provide strategy and direction for the existing volunteering infrastructure to deliver national priorities at a local level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41889/13]

Motor Tax Collection

Nicky McFadden

396. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if an extension will be made to the initial deadline for registering the non-use of motor vehicles, particularly in view of the large queues present at motor tax offices recently and the possibility that some persons may have not had the opportunity to register on time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42080/13]

Garda Vetting Applications

Nicky McFadden

427. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the efforts made to date to reduce waiting times for applications made to the Garda vetting unit; if improvements will be made as soon as possible to facilitate volunteers who wish to work with and for young persons and vulnerable adults here; if he will ensure that waiting times will no longer act as a barrier to volunteering; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41886/13]

Sex Offenders Notification Requirements

Nicky McFadden

444. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the information provided to the Garda upon conviction of a sexual offence; if sex offenders are supervised after release; the way sex offenders from other jurisdictions are monitored here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42029/13]

Intreo Service

Nicky McFadden

335. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of Intreo offices currently in operation in counties Westmeath and Longford; if further offices will open in counties Westmeath and Longford this year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40448/13]

Non-Consultant Hospital Doctors Working Conditions

Nicky McFadden

575. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Health the progress being made to reduce the number of hours worked by non-consultant hospital doctors in order to ensure compliance with the EU working time directive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40443/13]

Air Ambulance Service Provision

Nicky McFadden

576. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Health the current position regarding the air ambulance service operating from Custume Barracks, Athlone; if the service will continue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40444/13]

Carer's Allowance Payments

Nicky McFadden

130. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Social Protection if the half rate carer's allowance will be protected; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40176/13]